Eagles Head Coach Andy Reid Has "Sinatra Syndrome"

Philadelphia Eagles Head Coach Andy Reid must have a very splendid collection of Frank Sinatra records and movies. How else could he be so well versed in "Ol' Blue Eyes" fabled mantra--"I did it my way". Since 1999, Andy has done things just this way. He must have said all the right things to Mr. Jeffery Lurie, the owner of the team, during his interview for the head coaching job.

Mr. Lurie has turned over all major decisions on personel, draft, as well as front office and staff moves, and, in my opinion, it has gone to his head. Only Mr. Lurie has the power to over ride Andy's decisions. Andy has indeed called most or all of the shots that lead to what we see on the field on gamedays.

Every play, every time out, every challenge, everything. Even though Marty Morninweg is listed as the Offensive Coordinator, he uses Andy Reid's playbook. He deploys Andy Reid's players. He carries out Andy Reid's scheme. Are you starting to see the pattern?

Andy Reid is an excellent administrator. He is a very capable coach when it comes to player relations. He stands by his guys (that HE has drafted, signed, and traded for). What the Eagles do on gamedays and the practice fields all reflect on "Big Red" and we, as fans, see it all too regularly. Through it all, he has done things HIS way.

The 2010 NFL Draft is soon upon us as we wait to see what Andy will do there. Yes, he has a team of very smart and capable folks that study every iota of football down to the players' favorite color. They will advise and give input on the decision(s) on everything from the players' "Pop Warner" days up to the "war room", and then to the podium for the announcement. Andy computes this information, mulls the possibilities, tries to envision the future....but then, does it HIS way anyhow.

Mr. Sinatra would be proud of his protege.

I submit that every opposing coach the Eagles face knows this is Andy's team, Andy's guys, Andy's game plan, and Andy's vision. I am told that the offensive playbook is about five inches thick, at least. That's a lot of ideas to have to study. But my question is: why don't the Eagles use more of this playbook? Every team knows that on third-and three, the Eagles will run one of two plays. Surely, Andy has more than that to try to make the other team guess differently. But, then again, it is Andy's call that ultimately gets run on the field. Ho-hum.

If I was asked, I would suggest that the quarterback call the plays on the field. He would have a list of situational plays to choose from, and based on what he sees from the defense, calls or audibles to the correct play. My guess is that if you asked the players what is best, they would say "let us make the choice". That probably will never happen here in Andy's world. This is not what Andy would call doing it "my way".

Other teams have had success with their quarterbacks calling plays. They use the coach's playbook, thus using the coach's ideas, thus executing the coach's gameplan. I can only wonder how this Eagles offense would turn out if given the luxury of making it's own game given, game dictated decisions. Imagine that...on third and three, the Eagles went with a play from page number 1,234 of the playbook and got the first down, or the touchdown. The headlines would read "Birds Baffle Bills with Boffo Bravado play--Andy Reid is a Genius!".

Until then, we, the fans and ticket holders, can only dream of the times Andy would do such a thing. Until then, the opposing defenses can count on the same old things (both of them). Surely, we have the personel to carry out more of the playbook than we use--they are, after all, Andy's players that Andy selected and Andy coached and that Andy is responsible to "put in the right positions to make a play".

No, we do not have a "committee" approach to the way things get done around here. We suffer from "Sinatra Syndrome". I wonder if "Big Red" has a plaque, or a poster, or even a signed photo of "Ol' Blue Eyes" in his office, or even a certain song on the hold button of his phone. "Andy Reids' office, please hold...(I did it ......my.....way...).